Grab-bucket trenching machine



- T. F. MOORE GRAB BUCKET TRENCHING MACHINE Filed March 14 192; s Sheets-Sheet 11 T. F. MOORE GRAB BUCKET TRENCHING MACHINE Filed March 14. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet Fig,

flan. 1311924 79200 T. F. MOORE GRAB BUCKET TRENCHI NG MACHINE Filed March 14. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. l, 192%.

warren stares.

rarest assists.

THOMAS F. MOORE, OFIMOER-IS PLAINS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MOORE TRENCH MACHINE COMPANY, OF ROCKAWAY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GRAB-BUCKET TBENCI-IIN G TJIAGI-IINE.

Application filed March 14, 1922.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. Moons, of Morris Plains, in the county of Morris in the State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grab-Bucket Trenching Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an excavating and back-filling apparatus as used more particularly in trenching for sewers and analogous work and involving a track running along the trench line, an engine or other power plant and a suitable anchoring device arranged along the track at a distance somewhat remote one from the other and a carriage movable along the track between the power plant and anchorage for directing the movements of the excavating and back-filling bucket which is operated by cables passing over sheaves on the carriage and anchor frames and controlled by suit able engine operating drums at the power plant. 7

The main object is to permit the safe use of what is commonly known as a grab bucket in trenching apparatus of this character where it is necessary to hoist, convey and back-fill the excavated material over the heads of workmen in the trench. In other words, I have sought to provide simple and efficient means whereby a grab bucket commonly used on stationary derricks for carrying heavy loads may be conveniently and expeditiously manipulated for the purpose of hoisting, conveying and back-filling the excavated material by means of a pair of engine driven drums and cables without endangering the workmen in the trench and at the same time to utilize said cables and drums for moving the oarriage along the track when necessary and holding it in its adjusted position.

A further object is to provide simple and etiicient means on the carriage for controlling the operations of the grab bucket.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the apparatus will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figs, 1 and 2 are, respectively, a top plan and a side elevation (partially diagram- Serial No. 543,716.

matic) of-a trenching apparatus embodying the various features of my invention, a portion of a sewer-trench partially excavated and partly back-filled being shown in section in Figure 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, of the bucket-controllingdrums and cables together with portions of the engine-drums and cable-supportingsheaves on the carriage.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged face View partly in section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 omitting the engine-drums.

As illustrated, this apparatus comprises an engine 1, an anchorage 2- and a carriage -3 all arranged lengthwise of a track 4 which extends lengthwise of and in close proximity to the line of the trench as -A, the engine -1- and anchorage 2 being located along the track 4 at distances somewhat remote one from the other, while the carriage 3 is movable along the track between the engine and anchorage as the work of excavating and back-filling progresses.

A pair of engine driven drums --5- and 6 are mounted on the engine frame for operating a pair of cables -7 and 8, one of which as 7- is attached at one end to the drum 6 to be wound and unwound thereupon and therefrom and has its other end extended around a sheave 9 on the anchorage 2 and returned over a sheave 10- on the top of the frame of the carriage 3 from which it extends downwardly and is attached to the periphery of the winding drum 11.

The intermediate portion of the cable 7 extending from the drum 6-- to thetil) drum -6 and also serve as a means for drawing the carriage along the track toward the engine -l-, which is generally located at the end of the trench being excavated, while the anchorage 2 is usually located over the back-fill.

It is evident, however, that by locking the drum 1lagainst rotation and rotating the drum 6, the carriage '3- may be moved in the opposite direction or toward the anchorage when the drum is released.

A grab bucket as B used for excavating and back-filling is attached to one end of a hoisting cable which in turn is supported by a sheave 16 Figure 4 on the top of the carriage 3- and has its other end attached to the periphery of a hoisting drum -17, the latter being secured to one end of. the winding drum -11- coaxial therewith, while the cables 7 and 15 are attached to opposite sides of their respective drums -11 and 17 to cause one cable to wind upon one drum while the other cable is unwinding from the other drum.

That is, the hoisting cable -15 is passed around. a suitable sheave .b carried b the pivotally connected ends of the bucket jaws and is then attached to the supporting ftrame b' for the jaws whereby the tightening of the cable as it is wound upon the drum 17 will automatically close said jaws upon the load and hold the same closed with the load thereon for hoisting and conveying to the back-fill or place of discharge without liability of opening, while on the other hand, if the bucket frame is otherwise supported, the release of the tension of the cable -15 will permit the jaws to open automatically by their own weight to obtain the load or for the discharge of said load as will be hereinafter more fully'explained.

A holding cable 18 is supported inter mediate its ends upon a sheave -19 on the upper portion of the carriage -3 and has one end attached to the top of the frame of the bucket -B- and its other end attached to and wound upon the periphery of a holding drum --20 which is coaxial with and adjacent the hoisting drum 17 as shown in Figure 4, the hoisting cable 15 and holding cable"l8 being located at the same side of the axis of their respective drums so that after the bucket jaws have been closed upon the load by the winding of the hoisting cable on the drum -17, the clutch -Q4 may be applied sufiiciently to cause the rotation of the holding drum -20- to take up the slack of its cable 18 during the hoisting operation or when released, ma 1 be rotated by hand to take up said slacr without applying any bucket-lifting power to the hoisting cable.

described, the brake' l1, --l7 and 21 loose on the shaft, 7

while the clutch section 2l is splined thereon for axial movement.

A compression spring 27 is interposed between the adjacent faces of the clutch section 2land winding drum 11 around the shaft 26 for yieldingly holding the clutch section -24t out of engagement with the brake-drum 21-.

Suitable means is provided for moving the clutch member 24 axially into engagement with the clutch face 23 against the action of the spring -27-, said means consisting, in this instance of, a cam lever 28 journaled on the shaft 2G and having its hub provided with cam faces -29 for engagingcooperative cam faces 30 on a holding lever 31- which is also journaled on the shaft 26 and is adapted to rest against a stop pin 32 on the adjacent portion of the carriageframe 3 for holding the cam -30- against rotation, while the cam lever -28- is being operated at will to bring the clutch member 24 into frictional. engagement with the brake drum 2l.

A pair of brake bands 3 l and 3t are wrapped around the peripheries of their respective drums 21- and -2Q and have corresponding ends attached to the carriage frame 3 and their other ends connected by cables 35 and 35' to separate drums 36 and -36"-, one of which as 36- is secured to a rotary crossshaft 37 on the carriage 3- and the other as 86'- is loose on the same shaft, the latter being provided with a hand lever 38 and a pawl -39- movable along a toothed rack 4t0 for operz'iting the drum -36, the other drum as 36-- being secured to and operated by a similar hand lever 38 and a pawl -89- mo\-'able along a separate toothed rack t0'-. thus permitting the operation of either brake in dependently of the other.

The brake drums 21 and 22 are of relatively large diameter as compared 20- a suflicient amount to ing power, While the winding drum -'l1 is also of relatively larger diameter than that of the drums l7- and -20--to ob tain a corresponding increase of power in hoisting and holding the load.

Operation.

Assuming now that the clutch -24 and brake bands -3et and. '34'- are 'released from their holding positions and that the open bucket is lowered to the bottom of the trench as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 and that the drum --5-- is locked to hold the carriage -3 against rearward movement in which case the cable 7- will have been wound a number of turns upon the winding drum ll, while the cables l5 and 'l8 will have been unwound from their respective drums -17 and allow the bucket to drop to the bottom of the'trench.

Then by starting the engine to rotate the engine drum 6- will allow the cable -7- to be wound upon the drum -6 in the direction indicated by the arrows Figure 3 and to be unwound from the drum -11, thereby causing the rotation of said drum 11, hoisting drun'i -1-7- and brake drum -2lin one and the same direction which in turn will cause the winding of the cable -15 upon the drum 17--. i

The w' iding of the cable 15- upon the drum -17- will first cause the awe of the bucket B- to be closed upon the load and as the loaded bucket is elevated to the desired height within the carriage -3-, the cable -18 will incidentally be wound'and kept taut upon its drum '-20 by the proper application of the clutch 24-+.

As soon as the loaded bucket has been raised to the desired elevation within the carriage 3, both brakes are applied and the engine drum --5- is then releasedto slacken its cable S, and thereby release the carriage 3- whereupon the continued rotation of the engine drum 6 causes the carriage 3 with the loaded bucket therein to be drawn rearwardly over the back-fill or to the place where it is desired to discharge the load.

As soon as the carriage with the loaded bucket therein is brought to the dumping position. the rotation of the engine drum 6- is caused to cease and the attendant on the carriage then releases the brake band -3-l-, thereby relieving the tension of the cable 15 and allowing the jaws of the bucket to be opened by the weight of the load thereon for discharging said load, bucket being still held in its uppermost pos tion by the cable "18 which in turn is held against unwinding from the drum 20 by the application ofthe brakedrum -34" to the drum Immediate following the dumping o eration of the bucket and While the brake and 34 is still tightened up on the drum 2Qr, the brake band 34 is tightened upon the drum 21 to hold the drums -11 and -17 against rotation, whereupon the engine drum 5-- may be operated to return the carriage with the open empty bucket thereon to the reloading position during which time, the engine drum 6- is released to allow the cable'-7- to pay out-asthe carriage is returned.

During this return movement of the carriage with'th'e open empty bucket thereon and while it is still in the position for reloading the'bucket, the latter is held in its uppermost position by thercable 18- and tightening of the brake band 34', the cable -7 is partially unwound I'romi the drum -'11- and the clutch -24: is in its released position while the brake band 34 is still tightened and in order to lower the bucket to the bottom of the trench, the brake bands and -3- may be gradually released to allow the weight of the bucket to unwind the cables -15-- and "1'8 from the drums -17 and -20- during which the cable 7 is rewound upon the drum -1l until the bucket rests upon the bottom of the trench ready for reloading and hoisting.

During-this descent of the bucket, its speed of movement is controlled by the brake band -34- acting upon the drum 22 which prevents excessive slackening ot'the cables -18- and -15by the momentum of the respective drums when the bucketreaches the bottom of the trench at which time the brake bands -3& and -34- are entirely released from their holding positions ready for a repetition of the loading, hoisting and conveying operations previously described. the clutch member 24 being used only to take up the slack of the cable 18 or to hoist the bucket with the jaws inan open position.

It is evident. however, that the construction for carrying out these operations may be modified and, therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to the structure shown and herein described.

What I claimi's 1. In an excavating and back-filling apparatus of the character described, the combination with a power station and an anchorage station a distance one from the other, of a carriage movable between said stations, a rotary drum on the carriage, a cable wound upon said drum and extended around the sheave to the power station means at thepower station for drawing the cable 'en'dwise and unwinding it from the drum for rotating said rum, a rotary hoisting drum onflthe carriage actuated by the fil s t 'TI ELTDECl '3) 'CH-bl HiiiaLClIBd"tO the hoisting drum to be wound thereon as the first named cable is unwound from its drum, a grab bucket having its jaws operatively connected to thesecond named cable to close said jaws and to hoist the bucket as it is wound upon its drum, a hold ing drum mounted on the carriage and rotatable independently of the hoisting drum, a cable wound upon the holding drum and operatively connected to the bucket to support the same independently of the hoisting cable, means for transmitting rotary motion from the first named drum to the holding drum to wind its cable thereon simultaneously with the winding cable on the hoisting drum, and means operable at will for holding the holding drum against rotation to hold the bucket in an elevated position independently of the hoisting cable whereby the jaws of the bucket may be released from their closed positions by slackening of the hoisting cable.

2. In an excavating and back filling apparatus, a track along the line of excavation, a carriage movable along the track, a hoisting drum and a holding drum both mounted coaxially on the carriage for rela tive rotary movement, sheaves on the carriage in a plane some distance above that of the drums, separate load-supporting caloles supported by the sheaves respectively and attached to their respective drums for winding and unwinding thereon and therefrom, means for rotating one of the drums independently of the other, and means including a clutch operable at will for transmitting motion from the first named means to the other drum.

3. In an excavating and hack-filling apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power station, a distant anchorage station and a carriage movable between said stations, a shaft journaled on the carriage, a drum loosely mounted on the shaft, a cable wound upon the drum and ex tended around a sheave at the anchorage station to the power station, means at the power station for winding the cable thereon and unwinding it from the drum to cause the rotation of said drum, a hoisting drum also loose on the shaft and actuated by the first named drum, a hoisting cable wound upon, the hoisting drum as the latter is retated by the unwinding of the first named table from its drum, and a grab bucket having its jaws operativcly connected to the hoisting cable to be closed thereby and the bucket elevated as the hoisting cable is wound upon its drum.

1-..In an excavating and back-filling apparatus of the character described, the con1- bination of a power station, a carriage, a shaft journaled on the carriage, a drum loosely mounted on the shaft, a cable wound upon the drum and extended to the power station, means at the power station for unwinding the cable from the drum to cause the rotation of said drum, a hoistingv drum also loose on the shaft and actuated by the first named drum, a hoisting cable wound upon the hoisting drum as the latter is r0- tated by the unwinding of the first named cable from its drum, a grab bucket having its jaws operatively connected to the hoisting cable to be closed thereby and the bucket elevated as the hoisting cable is wound upon its drum, a brake drum operatively connected to the first named drum, and a brake band operable at will into frictional engagement with the brake drum for holding the first named drum and hoisting drum against rotation when the bucket is elevated.

5. In an excavating and back-filling apparatus of the character described, the combination of a power station, a carriage, a shaft journaled on the carriage, a drum vloosely mounted on the shaft, a cable wound upon the drum and extended to the power station, means at the power station for unwinding the cable from the drum to cause the rotation of said drum, a hoisting drum also loose on the shaft and actuated by the first named drum, a hoisting cable wound upon the hoisting drum as the latter is rotated by the unwinding of the first named cable from its drum, a grab bucket having its jaws operatively connected to the hoisting cable to be closed thereby and the bucket, elevated as the hoisting cable is wound upon its drum, means on the carriage for transmitting rotary motion from the first named drum to the shaft, a holding drum tight on the shaft to rotate there with, and a holding cable wound upon the holding drum as the shaft is rotated and at tached to the bucket for supporting the same independently of the hoisting cable whereby the jaws of the bucket may be permitted to open by the slackening of the hoisting cable.

6. In an excavating and back-filling apparatus of the character described, the com bination of a powerstation, an anchorage station a distance from the power station and a carriage movable between said stations, of a rotary shaft ournaled on the carriage, a drum loose on the shaft, a cable wound upon the drum and extended around a sheave on the anchorage to the power station, means at the power station for winding the cable thereon and unwinding it from the drum to rotate said drum, a hoisting drum loose on the shaft and actuated by the first named drum, a cable wound upon the hoisting drum as the latter is rotated by the first named drum, a grab bucket having its jaws operatively connected to the hoisting cable to cause the same to be closed cable is wound upon its drum, means including a friction clutch for transmitting rotary motion from the first named drum tothe shaft, a holding drum secured to said shaft to rotate therewith, a cable wound upon the holding drum as the latter is rotated by the shaft, said holding cable being attached to the bucket for supporting the same in an elevated position independently of the hoisting cable, a brake device for holding the holding drum against rotation to permit the jaws to open by the slackening of the hoisting cable and a separate brake device for controlling the operation of the first named drum.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a hoisting drum, a cable attached to the drum, means for ro tating the drum to wind the cable thereon, a grab bucket having its jaws operatively connected to the cable to be closed and the bucket elevated by the winding of said cable on the drum, a holding drum, a cable attached to the holding drum, means actuated by the first named means for rotating the 4 holding drum to wind its cable thereon simultaneously with the winding of the hoisting cable on its drum, said holding cable being operatively connected to the bucket to sustain the same in an elevated position independently of the hoisting cable whereby the hoisting cable may be slackened to allow the jaws to open independently of the holding cable, and means for holding the holding drum against rotation when the bucket is supported by the holding cable.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of relatively rotatable coaxial drums and supporting means therefor, of separate cables attached to said drums, means for rotating said drums to simultaneously wind the cables thereon, a grab bucket operatively connected to both cables to be elevated thereby, connections between one of the cables and jaws of the bucket for closing the jaws, while the bucket is being elevated by that cable, a device for holding and releasing one of the drums, and a separate device for holding and releasing the other drum.

9. In an excavating and back filling apparatus, the combination of a track, a carriage movable along the track, a shaft journaled on the carriage, a hoisting drum coaxial with and rotatable independently of the shaft, means for rotating said drum, a holding drum secured to the shaft to rotate therewith, means including a clutch for transmitting motion from the first named means to the shaft, sheaves mounted on the carriage some distance above said drums, a load-supporting cable supported by one of the sheaves and attached to the hoisting drum, and a separate load-supporting cable supported by the other sheave and attached to the holding drum.

10. In an excavating and back filling apparatus, the combination of a track, a carriage movable along the track, a shaft journaled on the carriage, a hoisting drum coaxial with and rotatable independently of the shaft, means for rotating said drum, a holding drum secured to the shaft to rotate therewith, means including a clutch for transmitting motion from the first named means to the shaft, sheaves mounted on the carriage some distance above said drums, a load-supporting cable supported by one of the sheaves and attached to the hoisting drum, and a separate load-supporting cable supported by the other sheave and attached to the holding drum, brake mechanism for controlling the operation of the hoisting drum, and separate brake mechanism for controlling the operation of the holding drum.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of February, 1922.

THOMAS F. MOORE.

Witnesses:

M. E. MOORE, EDWIN SINGLETON. 

